The present invention relates to a coupling hose and, more particularly, to a coupling hose assembly having at least one clamp for securing it in sealing engagement with a rigid tubular member received therein.
Flexible coupling hoses are used in numerous applications to join two rigid but relatively movable tubular members together for facilitating the flow of fluid therethrough, such as in a cooling system in an automobile. The hoses are designed to fit snugly on the tubular member so as to produce a seal to prevent leakage from the joint so formed. Typically a circular clamp is also applied to the end of the hose where it couples to the tubular member to ensure a fluid-tight seal where fluid flowing therethrough is under positive or negative pressure. The clamp is often a steel band with an adjusting mechanism which permits the band to be tightened about the hose so as to apply a uniform pressure about the circumference of the hose to tighten it onto the tubular member.
In an assembly line environment where many such connections are manually made, it is necessary for the worker to pre-assemble the hose and clamp, or clamps since it usually requires two clamps in such an assembly, one for each end of the hose. Coordinating the assembly of the hose and clamps and installing the assembly on the tubular members can be tedious and time consuming since each clamp must be properly aligned and held in place for tightening the hose to seal it properly around the tubular member.